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Alexander McKnight
Alexander McKnight was a Starfleet officer from the 23rd century. (Star Trek: Lexington (fan film series)) History Early life Childhood through early adulthood Alex was born on November 23, 1976 to Joe and Pam McKnight. His father was a US Air Force ammunition inspector and his mother was a housewife. This is the reason he is down to earth and rather informal. He also hates being called “sir”, as that reflects his upbringing as a “blue-collar” child. He is a “military brat” and a ‘Child of the 80’s”. 20th century to 23rd century During the 1980’s and 90’s, the McKnights were transferred many times to different air bases in support of US operations. Alex and his family, at one time, were stationed at: 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom; 366th Air Expeditionary Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota; 51st Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base, Korea; 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri; 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany; and 341st Space Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana. Alex was in several 80s rock bands while high school and was also active in sports, particularly basketball. He studied hard and graduated top of his 1995 class from London Central High School, located at RAF Daws Hill, High Wycombe, United Kingdom. As a result, he got a appointment to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His intention was to become a fighter pilot and maybe join NASA as a shuttle pilot. In his third year at the Academy, he was on home leave in 1998 Montana when Alex and his siblings (Michelle and Jason McKnight) ‘mysteriously disappeared’. Instead, an alien transporter, discovered by the USS Enterprise under Captain Robert April, had brought the three into 2250. When they found out that they could not get back to 1998, all three underwent re-orientation and education to adapt to life in the 23rd Century. Luckily, all of them had the aptitude to adapt. Both parents were killed during World War III with a nuclear strike on Malmstrom; a fact that still haunts Alex to this day. Starfleet Academy Alex McKnight was accepted for Starfleet Academy in 2252. With his USAF training, he was able to bypass most of his basic physical training but had to study real hard to adapt to Starfleet life. He graduated at the top of his Academy class in 2256, earning him a posting on the USS Hood. While at the Academy, he befriended William Gee William Gee, with whom he became best friends with and would serve alongside most of his career. He also became romantically involved with a fellow cadet, Jennifer Holmes. They married on their graduating day. Starfleet history Alex McKnight has served on the following starships: *[[USS Hood (NCC-1713)|USS Hood (NCC-1713)]] *[[USS Lexington (NCC-1709)|USS Lexington (NCC-1709)]] Aboard the Starship Hood Alex served with distinction on the USS Hood as the secondary helmsman. While there, he met another officer with whom he would become best friends with: Lieutenant Jessica Folment. Alex never saw eye-to-eye with the Hood ’s commanding officer, Captain William McClusky and as a result, Alex usually drew the duties that were considered to be dreadful. Alex took this with no complaint but it did lead to some interesting confrontations with Captain McClusky. It was at this time that his marriage to Lieutenant Jennifer Holmes was disintegrating. She was expecting their first child after six months of their posting. Alex and Jennifer thought that having a child would strengthen their marriage. They were wrong. It drove them apart. After she had her son, Montgomery, in 2257, she not only asked for reassignment to another starship, but had also divorced Alex, leaving him with sole custody of their child. The divorce devastated him and left Montgomery with his sister, Michelle. In 2261, the Hood and the Lexington were assigned to play some wargames and Alex was tapped to become the primary helmsman (temporarily). Given his chance, he showed how he could fly a starship like a fighter, and in doing so, impressed the Lexington ’s commander, Captain Andrew Williams. Williams immediately asked for Alex to be reassigned to the Lexington as her new primary helmsman and second officer. Alex leapt at the chance. Aboard the Starship Lexington Lieutenant Commander Alexander McKnight served on the Lexington as both her primary helmsman and the second officer. In this role, he earned and accumulated many high awards and was able to finish his doctorate in Space History from the University of Montana. In 2269, he was promoted to a full Commander in recognition of his efforts in bringing home a covert operative and his family. The agent was the only other survivor of the mission. Alex came back to the Lexington as her new Executive Officer and it was almost a certainty that he would get his own command in a short time. A week of getting promoted, the Lexington was assigned to Operation Decisive Promise, a war game designed to test a new computer system... the M-5. Command of the Lexington In mid-2268, the Lexington had been assigned to Operation Decisive Promise. While most of the results have been classified, we do know that the Lexington had been nearly crippled and almost the entire bridge crew killed, except for McKnight and Commodore Robert Wesley. McKnight assumed operational command after Captain Andrew Willams was killed and was instrumental in helping Wesley in stopping the rogue Enterprise and the M-5 computer. McKnight earned the first of two Federation Medal of Honors, the highest award in the Federation. After repairs were made, Alex was promoted to Captain and given the Lexington to command. Shortly after this, he and the Lexington was involved in the Klingon War of 2268 and was the only starship commander to actually engage the enemy prior to the Organians interfering. McKnight and the Lexington became famous after this event. Lexington had become one of the best ships in the fleet, giving Kirk and the Enterprise a run for their money. Both captains were instrumental in driving back another Romulan incursion into Federation territory in 2269. The mission would be the last for the Enterprise, as her five-year mission had been completed. In late 2269, Lexington was assigned to investigate Sector K-1134, an area of space that held some anomalies beyond explaining at the time. During her investigation, the Lexington literally disappeared into a temporal anomaly, arriving in the year 2271 when the newly refit Enterprise was conducting her shakedown cruise. Thus, Lexington became the second and last original Constitution-class starship to return from a five-year mission relatively intact. Character Guide excerpt He's a military brat and is very well versed in military tactics and terminology, which can confuse his friends and the crew at times. He has a very small ego. He also loves studying history and draws on its lessons. He knows space history and can quote it by verse if needed. He actually holds a master's degree in space history but this is not widely known. He's been compared to James Kirk when it comes to the rulebook and morals. He was actually two years Kirk's junior at Starfleet Academy, so there will be similarities to the two commanders’ styles. Alex believes in a paraphrase of St. Aquinas: "No order is right if it is given with the wrong reason" and has been known to do what he feels is right, despite when the regulations tell him he can't do it. He is also a strong believer in another phrase: "There's only one person I have to answer to and that is myself... I have to do what is right by me". And that’s landed him in some really tight situations but held true to his moral beliefs. His beliefs in terrorism and hostages is rather unique... he's been quoted to say that he thought of terrorists as "losers with guns" and has a generally low opinion of them. He negotiates something akin to a Mafia don... if you harm the hostages, then there's nothing stopping Alex from bringing serious harm to the hostage taker. "Take the fear out of the equation and he has nothing to bargain with... you've turned the tables on him cause he's more afraid of you than you of him," he is quoted in an interview in his last days in Starfleet. He brokers in honesty and expects the other side to be honest when sitting down to reason. He’s not above strong arm tactics or dirty tricks when it is best suited though. It is rumored that at one time early in his captaincy, he put a phaser to the heads of two important dignitaries to end years of destructive war on the emissaries’ planet. He’s also a big believer in “gunboat diplomacy” but he’s never started a fight in his life… he always lets the other side give their best shot before he goes into action. He is a warrior true but he doesn’t look to get into a fight unless there’s no other option. His temper has caused him to get into fights when he was younger but anymore, his temper seems to have a longer fuse but be somewhere else when it goes off. When he calls you by rank only... be in another galaxy - that’s the main sign that his temper's about to go off. He admits that he is a war hawk but he doesn’t easily get into battles… he prefers to pick and choose his battles and avoid them if he can. He loves challenges and can be baited into a fight if properly done, though he won’t shoot first under any circumstances. He was involved in the Klingon War of 2268 and was the only starship commander to engage the enemy prior to the Organians interfering. It’s not an experience he’s eager to repeat. McKnight, Alexander McKnight, Alexander McKnight, Alexander McKnight, Alexander McKnight, Alexander